Device and method for measuring a movement of a mandible

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for measuring a relative position and/or movement of a mandible (UK) relative to a maxilla of a patient, comprising an emitting coil (8) for emitting an electromagnetic measuring field (5), at least one mandible sensor (US1), said mandible sensor (US1) being placed and/or can be placed on teeth in the mouth (U1-U8) or in the mouth on a mandible device (UK). The mandible sensor (US1) is designed as a sensor at least for determining a position in a measuring field (5) and/or relative to the emitting coil (8), also comprising an evaluation device (3) for determining the relative position and/or relative movement of the mandible (UK) relative to the maxilla (OK) based on positions determined by the sensor (US1). The sensor coil (8) is placed and/or can be placed outside of the mouth on the side or above the maxilla (OK). The invention also relates to a method for determining a relative position and/or movement of the mandible (UK) relative to a maxilla (OK) of a patient with a device (1), a device (X) for simulating and transferring a measured relative movement from the method and a holding device for at least one maxilla sensor (OS1) and/or at least one mandible sensor (US1).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for measuring a relative position and/or relative movement of a mandible relative to a maxilla of a patient, the device comprising:
 a transmitter coil for emitting a magnetic measurement field, wherein the transmitter coil is arrangeable extraorally laterally to or above the maxilla, 
 a mandible accessory designed as a first bite plate for setting a vertical position of the mandible, 
 a maxilla accessory designed as a second bite plate for setting a vertical position of the maxilla, 
 a plurality of holding units, each of the plurality of holding units designed as a sensor shoe, which can be adhesively bonded on teeth of the mandible or the maxilla of the patient, the maxilla accessory, or the mandible accessory, wherein the sensor shoe has at least one curved surface region oriented facing toward a tooth in use with at least one position marking defined in a second curved surface region facing away from the tooth, 
 a mandible sensor arrangeable intraorally, the mandible sensor accommodated in a first holding unit of the plurality of holding units, the first holding unit fastenable on the teeth of the mandible or on the mandible accessory, the mandible sensor designed at least for determining a position in the measurement field and/or in relation to the transmitter coil, 
 a maxilla sensor arrangeable intraorally, the maxilla sensor accommodated in a second holding unit of the plurality of holding units, the second holding unit fastenable on the teeth of the maxilla or on the maxilla accessory, the maxilla sensor designed at least for determining a position in the measurement field and/or in relation to the transmitter coil, and 
 an analysis unit for determining the relative position and/or relative movement of the mandible relative to the maxilla on the basis of the positions determined by the mandible sensor, the maxilla sensor, or both. 
 
     
     
       2. The device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the first bite plate is U-shaped. 
     
     
       3. The device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the first bite plate has a centrally arranged pin. 
     
     
       4. The device as claimed in  claim 3 , characterized in that the centrally arranged pin has a ball having a threaded borehole, in which the centrally arranged pin is arranged such that it is at least vertically adjustable. 
     
     
       5. The device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the mandible sensor, the maxilla sensor, or both each determine at least two rotational degrees of freedom, three rotational degrees of freedom, or six degrees of freedom in the measurement field and/or relative to the transmitter coil. 
     
     
       6. The device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the maxilla sensor is either one of two maxilla sensors, each of the two maxilla sensors having five degrees of freedom or one maxilla sensor having six degrees of freedom arranged on the maxilla, and
 the mandible sensor is either one of two mandible sensors, each of the two mandible sensors having five degrees of freedom, or one mandible sensor with six degrees of freedom arranged on the mandible. 
 
     
     
       7. The device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that in use a distance between the mandible sensor and the tooth to which the mandible sensor is configured to be fastened to is less than 0.5 cm. 
     
     
       8. The device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized by a digitizing unit for creating a digital, three-dimensional model of the maxilla and/or the mandible, wherein the digitizing unit is configured to model the holding units and/or sensors in the model. 
     
     
       9. The device as claimed in  claim 8 , characterized in that the digitizing unit is designed as an intraoral scanner or as an intraoral camera. 
     
     
       10. A method for determining a relative position and/or relative movement of a mandible relative to a maxilla of a patient using a device of  claim 1 , comprising the following steps:
 arranging the mandible sensor of the device of  claim 1  on the mandible, wherein the first holding unit accommodates the mandible sensor and is fastened on the mandible and/or adhesively bonded on the teeth; 
 recording sensor signals of the mandible sensor; 
 determining a relative position and/or relative movement between the maxilla and the mandible on the basis of the mandible sensor signals. 
 
     
     
       11. The method as claimed in  claim 10 , comprising the following step:
 creating a digital, three-dimensional model of the maxilla and/or the mandible, wherein the plurality of holding units, the mandible sensor, and the maxilla sensor are modeled in the model, and fusing the three-dimensional model with the determined relative position and/or relative movement to generate an image of a movement sequence. 
 
     
     
       12. The method as claimed in  claim 11 , characterized in that fusing the three-dimensional model with the determined relative position and/or relative movement includes fusing the three-dimensional model with the determined relative movement and the movement sequence comprises multiple complex individual movement sequences. 
     
     
       13. The device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the position marking is formed as a conical recess, and/or characterized in that the position marking is arranged centrally on the sensor shoe. 
     
     
       14. The device as claimed in  claim 13 , characterized in that a tip of the position marking is located on a planar surface region of the recess of the conical sensor shoe. 
     
     
       15. A holding unit for at least one maxilla sensor or at least one mandible sensor for use in a device for measuring a relative position and/or relative movement of a mandible relative to a maxilla of a patient, wherein the holding unit is fastenable on the maxilla or on the mandible,
 wherein the holding unit is designed as a sensor shoe, which can be adhesively bonded on respective teeth or a mandible accessory of the mandible or a maxilla accessory of the maxilla and the sensor shoe has a first curved surface region oriented facing toward a tooth in use with at least one position marking defined in a second curved surface region facing away from the tooth in use, 
 the position marking is formed as a conical recess, a tip of which defines a zero point of the relationship of the at least one maxilla sensor or the at least one mandible sensor disposed in the holding unit to the relative position and/or relative movement of the mandible relative to the maxilla. 
 
     
     
       16. The holding unit as claimed in  claim 15 , characterized in that the tip of the position marking is located on a planar surface region of the conical recess of the sensor shoe. 
     
     
       17. The holding unit as claimed in  claim 15 , characterized in that the position marking is arranged centrally on the sensor shoe. 
     
     
       18. The holding unit as claimed in  claim 15 , characterized in that the sensor shoe is designed for interlocking accommodation of a first maxilla sensor and a first mandible sensor of the at least one maxilla sensor and/or at least one mandible sensor.